It's Obsession
by Jan2StaMuse
Summary: A boy, perfumes, and D/N.


A/N: This is just a quick little something that popped into my head at work. No plot, no real editing; just writing which is a rarity for me these days. Dedicated to my muse because she inspired this. Enjoy.

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Her perfume was Obsession but her scent was intoxicating. Sweet yet never overpowering; subtle yet he could smell it across the room. It had been that way from the moment he'd met her at Frasier's apartment nearly twenty-one years ago.

Twenty-one years, pondered Niles as he sat at Cafe Nervosa at his usual spot by the window watching as Daphne waited to cross the street with David at her side. The boy—turning 11 in a few short months—was very close to his mother. Although he spent most of his time playing online with his friends or spending time with Grampa Martin and Aunt Roneé, the boy never missed out on an opportunity to go shopping, or just plain hang out, with his mother. Today's shopping trip was to a perfume boutique across the street from Nervosa that had opened less than a year ago.

Daphne had been one of their first customers; and, for a time, their only customer. In the last few months, however, their clientele had grown considerably thanks in part to Daphne. Her raving reviews had garnered the place the recognition it deserved, and it quickly became the go-to place for a lot of their friends and many other Seattle residents.

Niles would accompany her from time to time but he was perfectly content watching her from across the street, latté or tea in hand, smiling at the look of excitement on her beautiful face when an employee would introduce her to their latest arrival of fragrances. The boy would get in on the action, as he had become a lover and expert of sorts of perfumes and colognes. On many occasions, David had helped his mother pick out fragrances as gifts for the people in their lives. But the thing that brought the boy most joy was helping Daphne chose a new perfume for herself. Niles could see it in his eyes. Whenever Daphne would make her way down the stairs with an empty perfume bottle and threw it in the recycling bin, the boy would literally drop what he was doing and would run to his mother asking if they were going on a shopping trip soon. The answer would almost always be yes.

Niles found the boy's fascination with perfumes and colognes a bit odd. But after seeing the skill with which David could name specific fragrances and brands without looking at the container, he was more than impressed and became fully supportive. It was like wine tasting...without the wine or the tasting.

Niles chuckled at his own little joke before taking a sip of his latté.

"What's so funny?" a throaty voice asked from behind. "Or has Niles finally lost it?"

He turned around, rolling his eyes then smiling. "Hello, Roz. Lovely to see you, too." He gestured at the seat across. "Would you like to join me?"

She glanced down at her watch and shook her head. "Not today. I've got a meeting at the station in fifteen minutes and after that I have to—" Her cellphone went off and she sighed rather annoyed when she looked at screen and saw who was calling. "I need more competent employees. See you later, Niles. Duty calls."

He could have made a joke and ribbed her about her still very active sex life, but decided not to even though she'd just made it incredibly easy. But there was a time and a place and this was neither. Instead, he kept sipping at his latté and turned back to looking out the window. Immediately, he spotted Daphne and David crossing the street and waving at him. Niles waved back, eager to hear the details of the new bottle they'd acquired.

"Dad!" David said enthusiastically as he sat down and took the small box out of the bag. "Check this out!" "I'm listening,"

Niles said, cringing slightly at the familiar phrase. Daphne took a seat next to him, kissing him on the cheek then smiling when she heard him inhale deeply, like he'd been doing for so many years now, after he kissed her. She didn't tire of it. It was part of their love story.

"It's Obsessions," she mumbled.

"I know," he replied, inhaling again. "I know, my love."

"Are you guys even listening?!" the boy interrupted.

"Yes, yes," they both said. "Continue."

And, continue he did all the way home and for most of the afternoon.

The End.


End file.
